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Concept Care Solutions has been appointed onto the LPP 'Lot 5 Framework' suppliers list to recruit international nurses for NHS Trusts.

(PRWEB UK)3 June 2014

Concept Care Solutions has been appointed onto the LPP 'Lot 5 Framework' suppliers list to recruit international nurses for NHS Trusts in England.

Marketing Manager Charles Kelly was delighted with the new contract and congratulated the team for all their hard work during the tendering process: "This is fantastic news! Well done to all the staff at Concept Care Solutions for their outstanding work in winning another tender to supply international nurses to the NHS.

Charles added that the London-based nursing agency can now supply permanent staff to NHS Trusts all over the country, "This means that as an approved supplier, Concept Care has been thoroughly vetted and can help multi-regional NHS Trusts recruit nurses from EU countries, such as Spain or Romania, as well as non-EU countries, like the Philippines and India, where there is an abundance of highly qualified nurses waiting for a chance to work abroad."

Shortage of nurses in UK

LPP, or London Procurement Partnership, the body that handles the tendering process, established the new framework agreement for the provision of nursing and nursing related staff for use by NHS organisations located across England starting on 14th May 2014.

The LPP was formed by NHS Trusts to centrally manage and maximize its multi-billion pound purchasing power and ensure that suppliers are fully vetted to meet UK government standards. The NHS is short of nurses and the only way to fill those vacancies quickly to ensure patient safety is to recruit qualified staff from overseas.

According to the RCN Nursing Union, there are 20,000 advertised nurse vacancies, but 23,000 nurses are needed just to cover retirements. The NHS spends hundreds of millions of pounds filling vacant shifts with higher paid agency or bank nurses, hence the need to recruit overseas.

Nurses wishing to work in the UK should visit the NMC website, which lists the conditions under which an overseas nurse can practice as a Registered General Nurse (RGN). RGNs need an NMC PIN, or licence to work in the UK. Most EU nurses should qualify automatically, unlike the majority of non-EU nurses who may need to go through a period of training (Overseas Nurses Programme or ONP) or supervision in order to practice.

Concept Care Solutions, also known as Dolphin Care, was established in 2001 and supplies temporary nurses, doctors and health care assistants to NHS Trust all over England and Wales. The company also has an in-house care training division, as well as a level 3 registered immigration department, where adviser Cynthia Barker helps clients with visas and Tier 2 Sponsorship. Ironically, international recruitment could reduce the need for agency nurses; although, the move will save the National Health Service millions of pounds.

Over the next few months the company will be holding open recruitment events in Spain, Portugal, Romania, Bulgaria, India, China and The Philippines. Charles welcomes enquiries from HR and NHS procurement managers, as well as CVs from suitably qualified nurses with NMC PIN’s or Decision Letters.